Plate holder, particularly a license plate holder

ABSTRACT

A plate holder, particularly for holding license plates on automobiles, having a middle section and end sections removably attached thereto, each of said sections having a wall portion and at least one frame portion, the frame portions of the assembled sections forming a closed frame running round a plate inserted into the holder, the frame portions of all sections forming but joints between each other so that the frame has the same cross section and appearance along the full circumference of the holder and plate respectively. The plate holder may preferably be made of plastic material.

United States Patent 1 Eggenschwiler [451 Aug. 26, 1975 PLATE HOLDER,PARTICULARLY A LICENSE PLATE HOLDER [76] lnventor: HerbertEggenschwiler,

Rugangstrasse 1034, 3280 Murten, Switzerland [22] Filed: Mar. 20, 1974[21] Appl. No.: 453,081

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 285,446, Aug.31, 1972,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 40/209 [51] Int. Cl. G09f 7/00 [58] Field of Search 40/10,16, 155, 152, 209

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,319,513 10/1919 Colegrove40/155 X 1,886,703 ll/1932 Logan 40/209 X 2,192,561 3/1940 Secley 40/209Fishrnan 40/209 Reed 40/209 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell AssistantExaminerWenceslao J. Contreras Attorney, Agent, or F irmMurray Schaffer5 7 ABSTRACT 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures [fi fl-N PLATE MULDER,PARTICULARLY A LICENSE PLATE HGLDER This is a continuation of copendingapplication Ser. No. ZilSAMld filed Aug. 31, 1972 and which is nowabandoned for which all equitable and legal rights are claimed.

This invention relates to a plate holder, particularly to a plate holderfor automobile-license plates. More specifically, this invention relatesto a plate holder, consisting of a middle portion and end portionsremovably attached thereto, assembling or disassembling of this plateholder being simple and allowing easy insertion of a plate into theholder or removal of a plate from the holder.

A plate holder of the above type is known in US. Pat. No. 2,192,561.This prior plate holder is made of sheet metal, and frame portions ofthe end sections thereof are telescoped onto frame portions of themiddle section, whereby the wall portions of the end sections alsooverlap the wall portion of the middle section. Obviously the frameportions of the end sections have to be of a bigger cross sectional sizethan the frame portions of the middle section in order that the endportions may be slid or telescoped over the middle section. The frameportions of the end sections overlapping the frame portions of themiddle section are unaesthetic. Moisture and dirt may collect andcorrosion may occur in the space between overlapping frame portions sothat it may be extremely difficult to remove the end sections from themiddle section after the holder has been used for some time.

it is an object of this invention to remove the above drawbacks and toprovide a plate holder of perfect aesthetic appearance and which may bemade of noncorrosive material such as plastic material. The plate holderaccording to this invention has a middle section having a wall portionbetween two frame portion having each an internal groove adapted toreceive a rim of the plate, two end sections having each a wall portionand a frame portion having an internal groove adapted to receive a rimof the plate, said end sections being removably attached to the middleportion, engageable fixing means being provided at each end of saidmiddle section and at each of said end sections such that said frameportions of the end sections and the frame portions of said middlesection form a bu tjoint. Since the rim portions but against each other,the cross-section of all rim portions may be the same such that a frameof uniform size and appearance surrounds the plate. The fixing means forassembling the holder sections are preferably located entirely insidethe frame portions on said wall portions. While manufacture of such astructure would be quite complicated in sheet metal, this structurelends itself particularly for manufacture in plastic material.

This invention will now be explained in further detail with reference tothe accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, one embodiment ofthe plate holder.

FlG. l is a front view of the holder,

FIG. 2. is a rear view of the holder,

FIG. 3 is a partial section along line llL-lll in FIG. l, on a largerscale.

FlG. 41 is a section along line lV-lV in FIG. it, on a larger scale andFIG. 5 is a section along line VV in FIG. 1, on a larger scale.

The plate holder has a middle section 1 and two similar end sections 2.The middle section has a wall portion 3 and two parallel frame portions4 having each an internal groove 5 adapted to receive a rim portion of aplate, for instance a license plate 6 as indicated in dashdotted linesin FIG. 3. Grooves 7 of limited length are formed inside the frameportions 4 between a staggered rim portion 8 and the wall portion 3.Fixing holes 9 are formed in the rim portion 8 in the corners of middlesection 1. Further fixing holes may be distributed on the wall portion 3as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, such holes being adapted to thedistribution of fixing holes provided on particular types ofautomobiles. The wall portion of the middle section further has fixingslits 10 adapted to receive bolts for fixing the plate holder on anautomobile. The wall portion 3 has a rib 11 in its center, supportingthe center of plate 6 inserted into the holder. The top of rib 11 isslightly higher than the inner surface of rim portion 8 whereon the rimof a plate inserted into the holder rests, such that the plate isslightly curved outwardly as indicated in FIG. 3.

Each of the end sections has a wall portion 13 and a frame portion 14.As is seen particularly from FIGS. 4 and 5, the cross section of theframe portions 4 of the middle section is exactly the same as the crosssection of the frame portion 14-. Each end section has a lug 16extending inwardly from its wall portion 13 into one of the grooves 7 ofthe middle section. Each of the lugs 16 has a rib 17 engaging the innerface 8 of rim portion 8, thereby maintaining the end sections in anaccurately centered position relatively to the middle section. Each endsection further has a pair of lugs 18 extending inwardly and definingbetween them a slit 19 having a narrow portion between projections 20 oflugs 18. As shown in the right-hand portion of FIG. 1, where the endsection 2 is fully engaged, the pair of lugs 18 forms a kind of tongsengaging with its projections 20 an anchoring pin 21 formed at the frontside of Wall 3. Hold down members 22 are formed at each side of pin 21by which the lugs 18 are maintained substantially parallel to and incontact with the wall portion 3 of the middle section 1.

As will be clear from the drawing, the end sections which are fullyengaged with the middle portion are firmly connected to the same andheld in a predetermined position by lugs 16 and ribs 17 engaging grooves6 and surfaces 8' respectively, and by lugs 18 engaging the anchoringpins 21. With the end sections 2 fully engaged, the frame portions 14form a butt joint with the frame portions of the middle section 1, sothat a frame portion of uniform section is formed along the fullcircumference of the holder. Therefore, the joints between the middlesection and the end sections are hardly seen from the front side when aplate such as a license plate is inserted into the grooves 5 and 15respectively such that all elements serving for fixing the end sectionson the middle section are hidden behind the plate.

Each of the end sections may be removed from the middle section byoutward pull, whereby the lugs 18 are slightly spread appart and allowpassage of the projections 20 at the side of anchoring pin 21.Similarly, the end sections may be attached to the middle portion byintroducing lugs 16 into grooves 7 as shown on the left F168. 1 and 2whereafter the lugs 18 engage the anchoring pin 21, and snap over thesame into the engaged position as shown on the right in FIG. 1.

As stated above; the plate holder may preferably be made of plasticmaterial. This may be a coloured material, or a metallic coating may beapplied at least to the visible frame portions of the holder in a mannerwell known in the art.

The holder described above may be modified in many details. As anexample, a screw 23 is indicated in FIG. 2 which is only accessible fromthe rear side of the frame portion 4. This screw may be pressed with itsinner end against the plate inserted into the groove 5 of frame portion4 in order to secure the plate in the middle section of the holder.Theft of the plate, for instance of a license plate, by simple removalof an end section and pulling out of the plate, is thus efficientlyhindered.

What I claim is:

1. An assembly including'an automobile license plate and a holdertherefor, said holder comprising a middle section having a back wallportion between two frame portions each having an internal grooveadapted to receive the rim of the license plate, and two end sectionseach comprising a back wall portion and a frame portion having aninternal groove adapted to receive the rim of the license plate, saidmiddle and end sections having the same cross-sectional configuration,terminating in abutting ends, and having the grooves extending about thecircumference of the holder, said middle section and said end sectionshaving cooperatingly engageable fixing means for joining said respectivesections such that said frame portions form a butt joint, and saidfixing means being disengaged by pulling said middle section and endsections apart and being disposed respectively between said intemalgrooves and said back walls such that said fixing means are adapted tobe hidden behind said license plate when placed within said internalgroove.

2. A holder according to claim 1, wherein said fixing means are disposedon said wall portions of the middle section and end sectionsrespectively adjacent the corners thereof.

3. A holder according to claim 2, wherein said fixing means comprisegrooves formed in said middle sections and fixing lugs on each of saidend sections slidably engaging said grooves.

4. A holder according to claim 3, wherein each end section has a pair oflugs forming a resilient tong and said middle section has a pin locatedat each end cooperatingly engaging said tong to removably secure saidend sections to said middle section.

5. A holder according to claim 4, wherein each lug of said pair of lugsis held substantially in contact with the wall portion of the middlesection and in engagement with said anchoring pin respectively by meansof holding down members.

6. A holder according to claim 1, made of plastic ma

1. An assembly including an automobile license plate and a holdertherefor, said holder comprising a middle section having a back wallportion between two frame portions each having an internal grooveadapted to receive the rim of the license plate, and two end sectionseach comprising a back wall portion and a frame portion having aninternal groove adapted to receive the rim of the license plate, saidmiddle and end sections having the same cross-sectional configuration,terminating in abutting ends, and having the grooves extending about thecircumference of the holder, said middle section and said end sectionshaving cooperatingly engageable fixing means for joining said respectivesections such that said frame portions form a butt joint, and saidfixing means being disengaged by pulling said middle section and endsections apart and being disposed respectively between said internalgrooves and said back walls such that said fixing means are adapted tobe hidden behind said license plate when placed within said internalgroove.
 2. A holder according to claim 1, wherein said fixing means aredisposed on said wall portions of the middle section and end sectionsrespectively adjacent the corners thereof.
 3. A holder according toclaim 2, wherein said fixing means comprise grooves formed in saidmiddle sections and fixing lugs on each of said end sections slidablyengaging said grooves.
 4. A holder according to claim 3, wherein eachend section has a pair of lugs forming a resilient tong and said middlesection has a pin located at each end cooperatingly engaging said tongto removably secure said end sections to said middle section.
 5. Aholder according to claim 4, wherein each lug of said pair of lugs isheld substantially in contact with the wall portion of the middlesection and in engagement with said anchoring pin respectively by meansof holding down members.
 6. A holder according to claim 1, made ofplastic material.